Screw holding attachment for cruciform bit screw drivers



Jan. 20, 1953 E. BIER 2,625,971

SCREW HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR CRUCIFORM BIT SCREW DRIVERS Filed Dec. 18, 1950 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCREW HOLDING ATTACHIWENT FOR CRUCIFORM BIT SCREW DRIVERS This invention relates generally to tools, and more particularly to screw drivers.

An object of this invention is to provide a screw holding device particularly adapted, although not necessarily, for association with a screw driver and screws of the Phillips type, and which embodies holding elements mounted on the shank of the screw driver for movement longitudinally thereof, with the holding elements being formed to enter the cross shaped kerf of a Phillips screw and to co-act therewith in rigidly supporting the screw on the driver with maximum security when the holding elements are forced apart by a camming or wedging action of the vanes of the driver bit asthe driver is longitudinally advanced relatively to the holding elements, whereby to enable the screw to be carried by the driver into inaccessible locations and installed in restricted or hard to reach spaces, as well as easily removed therefrom, all so as to greatly facilitate such operations and minimize loss of screws.

A further object of this invention is to provide a screw holding device of the above described character embodying means to prevent tilting or rocking of the screw driver relative to a screw when the holding elements are seated in the kerf of the screw, and to operatively connect the holding elements to the screw and to the screw driver against relative rotation, so as to enable the screw to be positively driven by the driver in both screwing and unscrewing movements.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a screw holding device as above structurally characterized, which is readily applicable to the shanks of conventional screw drivers of the Phillips and similar types; which may be of one-piece construction to promote inexpensive manufacture; which is compactly related to the driver shank for maximum visibility in observing manipulation of a screw; and which may constitute a separate article of manufacture or be permanently associated with a screw driver as desired.

With these and other objects in view, this invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation, one form of screw holding device embodying this invention, applied to the shank of a screw driver and retracted thereon to expose the bit of the [driver sufficiently for use in applying and removing screws in the usual manner;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation similar to Figure l but rotated degrees therefrom, and showing the holding elements of the device inserted into the kerf of a screw;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevat'on similar to Figure 2 but rotated 90 degrees from the latter;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal axial sectional view showing the holding elements of the device inserted into the kerf of a screw and spread by the driver to rigidly hold the screw;

Figures 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 5-5 and 66 of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, showing a second form of screw holding device embodying this invention; and

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7 7 Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, this invention is shown for the purpose of illustration, applied to a screw driver of the Phillips type having cylindrical shank I0 projecting at one end from a suitable handle H and having flutes l2 equidistantly spaced circumferentially in its other end and preferably, although not necessarily, four in number. These flutes diverge toward the end of the shank and co-act to define vanes l3 therebetween having tapered sides l4 so as to decrease in width towards the outer end of the shank.

Adjacent to their outer ends, the-vanes 13 are inclined or beveled towards the longitudinal axis of the shank as indicated at l5, and co-act to provide a bit which is in the shape of a 90 degree cross in transverse section for insertion into a complementary 90 degree cross shaped kerf t6 in the head of a screw H, which kerf is formed by two intersecting wedge shaped recesses or slots terminating at their outer ends in spaced relation to the periphery of the screw head, all of which is well known to those skilled in the art.-

The holding device embodying this invention is designated generally at H and is preferably constructed from tempered sheet metal formed-to provide a support in the shape of an open ended sleeve 20 split longitudinally at 2|. Projecting from one end of the sleeve 20 at diametrically opposed locations are resilient arms 22 in the form of flat springs which join the sleeve by transversely curved portions 23. Adjacent to their free ends, the arms 22 are crimped laterally as indicated at 24 to provide longitudinal guideways or channels 25 adapted to freely receive two diametrically opposed vanes I3 of the driver shank l when the device is mounted thereon and is occupying its active or operating positions shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, all so as to operatively connect the device to the driver shank for rotation by the latter.

The crim-ped portions 2-4 of the arms 22 merge into thelatter adjacent to the free ends or tips 26 of the arms which are fiat and are normally urged by the resiliency of the arms into flat'wise parallel engagement to occupy the contracted position shown in Figure 3. The outer extremities of the tips 26 are inclined or beveled symmetrically as indicated at 21 (Figure 3) to conform to the inclined bottoms of the intersectingrecesses forming the cross shaped kerf 16 in the screw head, all as clearly shown in Figure-2.

Upset from the tips 26 so as to project fromthe outer flat working faces .of the tips are supporting protuberances or lugs 28 adapted to enter one of the recesses of the screw kerf [B when the tips are'inserted'into the other oneof the recesses of the kerf, so asto prevent lateral tilting or rocking of the driver relative to the screw in directions parallel to the length of said one of the recesses, in the operation of the invention which is as follows:

With the holding device applied to the shank Ill-as shown in Figure 1, the arms 22 have been forced outwardly by the beveled ends l of the vanes l3, and ride upon the cylindrical surface of theshank so as to expose the bit of the shank for use in applying and removing screws in the usual manner without obstruction by-the device. To hold a screw for insertion into any desired space, the device is advanced on the shank sufficiently-for the tips 26 to project beyond the shank and to be in contact with each other in parallelism as shown in Figure 3, after which the tips may be freely inserted into the kerf l6 as shown inthis figure and in Figure 2.

With the'device disposed in a position of rotational adjustment on the shank H) for two diametrically opposed vanes [3 thereof to be received in the guideways 25 of the arms 22, the shank is now advanced axially relative to the device by end pressure against the handle I l, to

. cause those two vanes in the guideways 25 to exert aradially outward camming or wedging force against the bottoms of the guideways (Figure 6) and thus spread the tips 26 as clearly shown in Figure 4.

This spreading of the tips 26 is continued until theouter parallel working faces of the tips are forced tightly against the side walls of the kerf l6 and co-act therewith to rigidly support the screw on the driver for any manipulation desired. It will be clear from Figure 5 that the lugs 28 co-act with the walls of the respective recess of the kerf [6 to prevent rocking or tilting ofthe driver in a plane parallel to the length of the other recess of the kerf, thus eiiectively maintainingthe driver alined with the screw. It will also be clear'that the guideways 25 of the arms 22 co-act with the vanes IS in operatively connectingthe device to the driver for rotation asa unit; so that any rotational movements of the d-riverwillbe imparted to the tips 26 and hence to the screw.

After-a screw has been started with the tips 26, the screw may be driven tight with the tips, or the device may be retracted on the shank to the position of Figure 1 so as to enable the bit of the driver to be employed in the usual manner. To removeascrew, it is first loosened by'the driver 4 bit, after which the device is advanced on the shank ID to the position of Figure 3 to enable the contracted tips 26 to be inserted into the kerf I 6, after which axial pressure is imposed on the shank to spread the tips into secure holding engagement with the walls of the kerf for removal of the screw.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the holding device H shown therein is similar to that previously described in connection with Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, with the exception that the crimped portions 24 of the arms 22 are dispensed with and longitudinal slots 30 are provided in the arms 22a to receive two diametrically opposed vanes l3 of the shank ill, and define guideways 25a co-acting with such vanes in identically functioning; as previously described, to operatively connect the device to the driver for rotation as a unit in order that any rotational movements of the driver will be transmitted to the screw. This form of the invention has the advantage of being more compactly related to the driver shank when the device is retracted on the shank, so as to increase the visibility around the shank.

It willbe noted that in this form of the invention, the arms 22a are laterally offset towards each other at the tips 26a as indicated at 3!, and that the tips are caused to be spread in paralelism by the camming or wedging action of the diverging longitudinal sides [4 of the vanes with the inner converging surfaces of the arms 22a adjacent to the tips, as the device is advanced on the shank. The practically parallel relationship of the tips 26a is maintained due to the fact that the arms are flexed from their transversely curved portions 23a adjacent to the joinder thereof with the sleeve 20a, so as to have the effect of long lever arms with the tips 26a on their free ends.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that both forms of the invention provide a holding device which in association with a screw driver, may be efficiently employed to apply and remove screws in restricted spaces otherwise difiicult if not impossible of access, yet enable the screw driver to be used for manipulating screws Without interference by the presence of the device on the driver shank and without obstructing the-vision of the operator in observing thescrew.

What is claimed-is:

1 A screw holding device for a screw driver of the type having its shank fluted longitudinally at circumferentially spaced locations to provide a plurality of' intervening vanes co-acting to define a bit having the shape of a cross in transverse section for use with screws having intersecting recesses forming complementary cross shaped kerfs, which comprises: a support having opposed resilient arms adapted to be mounted on thedriver shank and provided with holding tips on their free ends urged together for insertion into one of said recesses of the screw kerf; said arms having cam portions with which vanes of the driver shankare adapted to co-act when the driver is axially advanced relative to the device, to flex said arms outwardlyand spread said tips for engagement of the latter with the walls of said one of the recesses ofthe screw kerf, soar; to hold the screw on the screw driver for manipulation thereby; said tips having laterally outward projecting portions adapted to enter the other of said recesses of the screw kerf for coaction therewith in preventing tilting movements of the driver relative to the screw in directions parallel to the plane of said one of the recesses of the screw kerf.

2. A screw holding device for a screw driver of the type having its shank fluted longitudinally to provide a plurality of vanes defining a bit of cross shape for use with screws having intersecting recesses forming cross shaped kerfs, which comprises: a support having opposed resilient arms adapted to be mounted on the driver shank and provided with holding tips on their free ends urged together for insertion into one of said recesses of the screw kerf; said arms having cam portions with which vanes of the driver shank are adapted to co-act when the driver is axially advanced relative to the device, to flex said arms outwardly and spread said tips for engagement of the latter with the walls of said one of the recesses of the screw kerf, so as to hold the screw on the screw driver for manipulation thereby; said arms having means defining longitudinal guideways adapted to freely receive vanes of the driver shank to operatively connect the device to the driver for rotation thereby, yet render the device slidable axially on the shank; said tips having laterally outward projecting portions adapted to enter the other of said recesses of the screw kerf for co-action therewith in preventing tilting movements of the driver relative to the screw in directions parallel to the plane of said one of the recesses of the screw kerf.

3. A screw holding device for a screw driver having a fluted shank providing a plurality of longitudinal vanes defining a bit of cross shape for use with screws having intersecting recesses forming cross shaped kerfs, which comprises: a longitudinally split mounting sleeve adapted to friotionally slide on the driver shank; flat spring arms projecting longitudinally from one end of said sleeve at opposed locations circumferentially; said arms terminating in flat holding tips tapering towards their extremities and urged together for insertion into one of said recesses of the screw kerf; said arms having means co-actable with vanes of the driver shank when the device is axially advanced relative to the device,

to flex said arms outwardly and spread said tips for engagement of the latter with the walls of said one of the recesses of the screw kerf; said arms having means defining longitudinal guideways adapted to freely receive vanes of the driver shank to operatively connect the device to the driver for rotation thereby, yet render the device slidable on the shank; and lugs projecting laterally outward from said tips at locations to enter said other of the recesses of the screw kerf for co-action therewith in preventing tilting movements of the driver relative to the screw in directions parallel to the plane of said one of the recesses of the screw kerf.

4. A screw holding device for a screw driver having a fluted shank providing a plurality of longitudinal vanes defining a bit of cross shape for use with screws having intersecting recesses forming cross shaped kerfs, which comprises: a support having opposed resilient arms adapted to be mounted on the driver shank and provided with holding tips on their free ends urged together for insertion into one of said recesses of the screw kerf; said arms being crimped laterally to form longitudinal guideways freely receiving vanes of the driver shank and to provide means with which the vanes are oo-actable when the driver is axially advanced relative to the device, to flex said arms outwardly and spread said tips for engagement of the latter with the walls of one of said recesses of the screw kerf, so as to hold the screw thereon for manipulation,

LEO E. BIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 955,520 Loewenloerg Apr. 19, 1910 1,394,438 Mills Oct. 18, 1921 1,742,278 Reid Jan. '7, 1930 1,945,829 Sofield Feb. 6, 1934 2,046,837 Phillips July 7, 1936 

